“This is a terrible idea,” said my buddy Matt when I met him out one Wednesday night. I’d recruited him to try some “cleansing cocktails”—essentially boozy drinks made with fruit and vegetable juices. He was less than enthused. With his un-hip beard and penchant for processed foodstuffs, Matt is not one for fresh anything. So, naturally, he’d be the perfect critical accompaniment on my journey through the so-called healthy cocktail trend.

“Are you a cider drinker?” asked owner Omer Cengiz when I walked into the upstairs bar at Upcider. I froze. For most Americans, especially men, this is a loaded question, fraught with the possibility that people might judge you for liking sugary apple drinks—or worse, pretending to be British. But that perception may be changing.

7x7 asks the Bay Area's chefs for the recipes to their most loved cocktails, bar snacks, starters, mains, and desserts. If there's a dish you can't stop thinking about and want to make at home, email schuyler@7x7.com. Your wish may end up on the blog, along with the actual recipe from the chef.